Genes

Question 1

What is Epigenetics?

Answer 1

How environmental influences and children’s experiences (throughout childhood) effect the expression of their genes

Question 2

How does Epigenetics work?

Answer 2

• During development, our DNA collects chemical marks
• These chemical marks determine how much or how little of our genes are expressed
• The collection of the chemical marks is known as the ‘epigenome’
• Different experiences that children have rearrange those chemical marks (determining how genes release the information they carry)
• The ‘epigenome’ can be affected by positive and negative experiences (determining how easily our genes can be switched on or off)
• The genes we inherit from our parents provides information that guides development
• The idea that genes are set in stone is not true

Question 3

What does Epigenetics argue?

Answer 3

For a behaviour to be able to occur a gene must be expressed
If the gene isn’t expressed the behaviour won’t occur

Question 4

What is genetic expression?

Answer 4

How likely genes are to be switched ‘on’ or switched ‘off’ as a result of environmental factors and experiences
(for example, if we face a stressful life situation our genes are more likely to be ‘switched on)

Question 5

What is predisposition?

Answer 5

The chance an individual has of developing a condition based on their genes

Question 6

What is genetic vulnerability?

Answer 6

An individuals increased likelihood of developing certain mental health conditions or behaviours due to their genetic inheritance (i.e. factors/traits inherited from their parents)

Question 7

What are concordance rates?

Answer 7

Percentage of cases in which both individuals in a pair (i.e. identical twins) share a particular trait e.g. depression
- Higher concordance rates suggest genetics play a big role in the trait
- Lower concordance rates suggest environmental factors/influences play a role in the development of a certain trait or behaviour

Question 8

What are Alleles?

Answer 8

Alternate forms/versions of genes

Question 9

What is mal adaptation?

Answer 9

Overtime behaviours become adapted to your specific environment, you only compete when necessary

Question 10

What is Evolution?

Answer 10

Gradual changes to a species overtime

Question 11

What is natural selection?

Answer 11

The process through which people and organisms change and adapt overtime

Question 12

What are the two types of twins studied?

Answer 12

Monozygotic twins: Identical twins (developed from the same fertilised egg - splits and forms two embryos)
Dizygotic twins: Non identical twins (develop from two seperate fertilised eggs)

Question 13

What is the diathesis stress model?

Answer 13

Psychological theory that explains behaviour as a predisposition to genetic vulnerability expressed as a result of stress from life experiences
Explains the origin of depression

Question 14

What are kinship studies?

Answer 14

• Are family studies
• Determining whether a behaviour or trait runs within a family

Question 15

What are the features of a kinship study?

Answer 15

• Measure the frequency of a behaviour across generations
• Measure the frequency of a behaviour within a generation
• Often longitudinal
• They are retrospective studies

Question 16

What are twin studies?

Answer 16

• Studies involving identical and non identical twins to determine between genetic and environmental influences of behaviours/traits
• Tells us the differences between Mz and Dz twins
• Identical twins have exactly the same genes (100%)
• Non identical twins only have 50% of the same genes
• Twin studies can help us to seperate genetics and environmental influences on depression and how both factors play a role in psychological disorders